Belfast is currently one of the most exciting cities in the United Kingdom. Tours of the murals and neighbourhoods made infamous during less calm times are a must. Once an important centre for shipbuilding (the Titanic was constructed here), the city has more recently turned towards embracing culture and tourism.
Finding the right tour can often be time consuming. Here at TravelMag we have sifted through over 70 different Belfast city tours searching for the best so that you don’t have to. We bring you here our top five in terms of itinerary, price and reviews from previous clients.
PADDY CAMPBELL’S BELFAST FAMOUS BLACK CAB TOURS
FROM: £8.50-£30/per person
A fun mural tour with a difference: it doesn’t involve all that walking. From the comfort of a London-style black cab you can tour Belfast’s famous murals in comfort for 90 minutes. Government-licensed drivers are knowledgeable and happy to give additional advice about tourism and accommodation. But the main focus of the tour is the city murals, painted by folk from both sides of a once deeply-divided community. Being on four wheels means nothing is too far to reach.
TITANIC WALKING TOUR
From £9/ per person
Still the most famous vessel to be built in Belfast, and perhaps the world, the Titanic continues to grip imaginations worldwide. This 90 minute tour through Belfast’s Titanic Quarter tells the story of the fated ship with an expert local guide. See where the ship was constructed in dry dock, and where it first touched the water. To tour also visits HMS Caroline, the last surviving battleship from WW1.
BELFAST MURAL TOUR
From £23/ per person
This is another black London-style cab tour that takes visitors back through the last 40 years of Belfast’s tumultuous history. The 2 hour guided tour aims to educate people about the Troubles as they were known, through the arresting visual street art around the city. Many of the murals were painted by ex-prisoners from both sides of the conflict. The trip includes the famous Peace Wall.
GUIDED TOUR OF CRUMLIN ROAD GAOL
From £7.50/ per person
Infamous during its time as an overcrowded prison where executions also used to take place, this Victorian-era gaol closed in 1996. Since then it has been renovated and turned into a key attraction of dark tourism in the region. The tour includes a visit to some of the cells, including the prison’s own version of death row, known as the Condemned Man’s cell. There is also a touch of the paranormal.
CITY SIGHTSEEING HOP-ON HOP-OFF TOUR
From £12.50/ per person
Classics are classics for a reason. There are a number of hop-on, hop-off bus tours in Belfast, and are a tried and tested way of experiencing the city by combining walking and transportation. Of the numerous stops accessible with the 48 hour pass, Crumlin Gaol, the Titanic Museum, Falls Road murals and Albert Clock are all included. On-board commentary provides an added layer of depth and information.